Stay for the hinged lids or covers of gramophones, boxes, and the like



March '17, 1931. H JACKSON r AL 1,796,331

STAY FOR THE HINGED LIDS 0R COVERS OF GRAMOPHONEIS, BOXES, AND-THE LIKE Filed Nov. 16.. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l //v VEN TOE5. H. 0. JHCKSO/Y zail VH/ s March 7, 1 3 H. D. JACKSON E'I'AL 1,796,331

STAYFOR THE: HINGED LIDS OR COVERS OF GRAMOPHONES, BOXES, AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D JAc KsoN I. WH I'TE Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAY FOR THE HINGED LIDS OR- GOVERS OF GRAMOPHONES, BOXES, AND THE LIKE Application filed November 16, 192$, Serial No. 407,736, and in Great Britain. November 16, 1928.

This invention has reference to an im proved stay for hinged lids 01' covers generally, but more especially for those of gramophone cabinets or the like.

5 Stays for this purpose are well known in which the locking of the lid in the open position is effected automatically, and in which the release of the catch is performed by a small initial opening movement of the 19 lid prior to closing.

The object of the present inventionis to provide a stay of this kind which is simple in construction, positive in action, and is capable of attachment to cabinets or the like with the minimum of trouble and without the necessity of cutting away slots or strips in the woodwork.

According to our invention the improved stay comprises a raised bar or guide bar with 29 a longitudinal slot in which slides a crosspin or peg on the stay bar, the slot having a trap-recess or enlargement at or near its rear end for the peg or pin on the stay bar to drop in to support the lid in the open position, and a pivotal bridge member positively actuated by the initial lifting movement in the closing of the lid so as to transport the peg or pin over the recess and into the slot to allow the stay to slide back to its closed posi- 30 tion.

A spring is advantageously disposed in relation to the raised bar, or guide bar, to bear on the stay or its peg or pin and act as a brake in preventing too sudden a closing of r the lid under its own weight.

The appended drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment, which will be hereinafter more particularly described.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved stay in position, with the lid closed.

Figure 2 is a similar view, open.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the rear r end of the raised bar or carrier and the pivoted guide member at the end of the initial lifting movement of the lid and stay before closing the lid down.

Figure 5 is a similar view during the closing down movement.

which extends close up to the cranked portion, is provided with a recess or enlarge ment 6. Beyond this recess, and nearer still to the cranked portion, the guide member is drilled or punched with a hole to receive the pivot pin f of a pivotal bridge and stop member 9.

The bridge member g, which is frictionally held against the guide bar a by such means as a spring washer it around its pivot, comprises a strip of metal cut away at its free end and. upper edge to present a long arm or bridge 7' the inner edge of which forms an angle of approximately and a short arm or stop 70 with a notch Z between them near the pivot.

The stay 0 has a peg or pin m for working in the guide slot 01 and for dropping into the recess or enlargement 0.

At the back of the guide bar dis a blade spring m (Fig. 3) which presses in the back of the stay to prevent it moving too rapidly in one direction. Instead'of this arrangement a spring might be located along the margin of the slot cl to bearon the peg or pin m for the same purpose.

In operation, when the lido and its stay 0 are closed down, the bridge member 9 leaves the entrance to the recess or enlargement c of the slot open; the action of raising the lid moves the peg m along the slot (Z until it abuts against the short arm 70 and is then allowed to drop into the trap-recess e to support thelid in the open position. When it is desired to close the lid the latter must first be raised a very little, during which movement the pin m on the stay enters the notch Z below the short arm of the member 9' and swings the member around on its pivot by 1W engaging under the arm. This brings the long arm or bridge j level with or above the top of the recess, see Figure -l. On allowing the lid to drop, the peg or pin on the stay slides along the top of the bridge over the recess and is guided into the slot (Z. The continued movement forces it to ride over the other angularly disposed edge of the bridge j and so to depress the pivoted bridge member 5 and return it to its original position. Figure 5 shows the bridge member nearly back to its lirst position.

The improved stay is conveniently built tor fixing along the side of the surrounding flange ot the gramophoue top as will be clear from the drawings.

e claim:

1. Stay mechanism for a hinged lid comprising a pivoted stay bar, a peg thereon, a guide bar in which said peg travels, a trap recess in said guide bar to receive said peg when the lid is opened normally, and a pivoted bridge member adjacent to said recess, said bridge member on a further opening movement of the lid being engaged and positively rocked over by the peg into a position in which it carries the peg over the recess as the lid is closed and being positively returned to the normal position by the peg on the closing movement.

2. Stay mechanism for a hinged lid comprising a pivoted stay bar, a guide bar having a slot therein, a peg on said stay bar travelling in said slot, a trap recess for the peg adjacent to one end of said slot, and a trictionally controlled bridge member pivoted on said guide bar adjacent to said recess, said bridge member being positively rocked over in one direction as the lid is fully opened and being positively returned as the lid is closed.

3. Stay mechanism for a hinged lid comprising a pivoted stay bar, a guide bar having a slot therein, a peg on said stay bar travelling in said slot, a trap recess for the peg adjacent to one end of said slot, a frictionally controlled bridge member pivoted on said guide bar adjacent to said recess, a stop on said bridge member for engagement by said peg as the lid is opened, and an arm on said bridge member for carrying the peg over the recess as the lid is closed.

at. Stay mechanism for a hinged lid comprising a pivot-ed stay bar, a guide bar having a. slot therein, a peg on said stay bar travelling in said slot, a trap recess for the peg adjacent to one end of said slot, at trictionally controlled bridge member pivoted on said guide bar adjacent to said recess, said bridge member having a long arm adapted in one position to bridge the recess and a notch for engagement by the peg when the lid is fully opened to rock the bridge member positively into a position in which the long arm bridges the recess.

5. Stay mechanism for a hinged lid com prising a pivoted stay bar, a guide bar having a slot therein, a peg on said stay bar travelling in said slot, a trap recess .tor the peg adjacent to one end 0t said slot, a trictionally controlled bridge meu'iber pivoted. on said guide bar adjacent to said recess, said bridge member ha ring a long arm with a double-inclined edge for carrying the peg over the recess, a short arm to form a stop for the peg in the opening movement of the lid, and a notch between the arms for engagement by the peg to rock over the bridge member as the lid is fully opened.

(3. Stay mechanism for a hinged lid comprising a pivoted stay bar, a peg on said stay bar, a guide bar on which said stay bar travels, a spring irictionally controlling the movement of said stay bar on said guide bar, a slot in said guide bar in which said peg travels, a trap recess for the peg adjacent one end of said slot, and a trictionally controlled pivoted bridge member adjacent to said recess, said bridge member being engaged by the peg as the lid is fully opened and positively rocked over into a position in which it carries the peg over the recess as the lid is closed.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HERBERT DAVID JACKSON. FRANK WHITE. 

